Cavalry Brigades

[ChrisGinn]

I noticed a post below that indicates there is a problem with 2 unit cavalry brigades becoming broken when one unit becomes shaken and also that you ignore artillery. The solution implied was to use 3 unit brigades.

Since nearly all our units are based on historical organisations, this is not a great deal of help. Nearly all our cavalry brigades except for the British are 2 units. Most of the French Cuirassier regts in 1812 were in single unit brigades. (we were using two Carabineer regts in a single brigade, so we did not hit that particular problem)

We had this problem on Sunday, although some brigades had a horse battery attached which we counted to make a three unit brigade. Otherwise, we ignored the rule, as we could see no real reason why the supporting unit should become broken, when the unit it is supporting becomes shaken. since that is why it is there.

We could actually get round this, since nearly all our cavalry regiments are 24 figs, so we could make two regiments plus a supporting composite unit. However, that would increase the munber of cavalry units by 50%.

Has any body else any solutions?

[Greystreak]

Chris, what many players do to maintain historical Order of Battle 'integrity' for 2-unit cavalry brigades to is modify the Broken Brigade rule with a "House Rule" that works on the principle that over half the brigade must be Broken/Shaken for the rule to apply. Just a suggestion, but we find it works.

[Robo54]

I had a similar issue with the fragility of cavalry brigades in our SYW games. I was also concerned with the power of cuirassiers vs infantry (don't like to use square in the SYW). My solution was to deploy cavalry as small units. My original 'standard' unit was 12 figures, so I just broke them down into 6 figure squadrons. Solves both issues, and makes for some very interesting back and forth cavalry fights.

[Big Al]

I had a similar issue with the fragility of cavalry brigades in our SYW games. I was also concerned with the power of cuirassiers vs infantry (don't like to use square in the SYW). My solution was to deploy cavalry as small units. My original 'standard' unit was 12 figures, so I just broke them down into 6 figure squadrons. Solves both issues, and makes for some very interesting back and forth cavalry fights.

This is the most obvious solution and the one we use too. The question is how do you define a unit? A squadron is the smallest unit. Using this as a basic building block you could make a brigade a full cavalry regiment if you wish.

[NTM]

With large cavalry units I've always split them down to smaller ones even before BP. When French cavalry regts get really small in 1813 I treat the Division as a game Brigade.

[ChrisGinn]

Thanks Guys, lots of idears there!

[Rod MacArthur]

I had a similar issue with the fragility of cavalry brigades in our SYW games. I was also concerned with the power of cuirassiers vs infantry (don't like to use square in the SYW). My solution was to deploy cavalry as small units. My original 'standard' unit was 12 figures, so I just broke them down into 6 figure squadrons. Solves both issues, and makes for some very interesting back and forth cavalry fights.

This is the most obvious solution and the one we use too. The question is how do you define a unit? A squadron is the smallest unit. Using this as a basic building block you could make a brigade a full cavalry regiment if you wish.

Hi Al,

I am resurrecting this old thread because your suggestion of using squadrons as basic building blocks is something I have always thought would be more realistic in the Napoleonic era.

Most Orders of Battle show battalions, squadrons and batteries. A Cavalry Regiment (in any nation) was in fact similar in structure to a French multi-battalion Regiment, where the number of battalions could be reduced to keep up a reasonable battalion size, so was it with the number of cavalry squadrons in any one regiment, which were frequently reduced to keep an optimum squadron size. Whereas there would be no gaps between companies in a battalion in line, a cavalry regiment in line had gaps of one-third of a squadron in width between squadrons. Squadrons in fact operated semi-autonomously and a Cavalry Brigade is best considered as a number of Squadrons and not a number of Regiments. This is particularly so when you have Brigades like the Spanish Penne-Villemur's at Albuera, with 7 Regiments, each of only one squadron.

There were occasions when Cavalry Brigades sent forward squadrons from different regiments, supported by the rest of the brigade. Cavalry tactical guidance suggested attacking in echelon of squadrons, or attacking squares with two squadrons on adjacent faces simultaneously, or attacking lines in a column of squadrons, which when one broke through the following ones would advance into the gap and then wheel left and right to roll up the line in both directions.

All of this makes it more realistic to operate by squadrons, but if one does so using Black Powder rules then all cavalry would become small units. Would this make the game unplayable?

Rod

[Big Al]

Hi Rod,

Not really, but then I don't agree that it would make all units small units. Define the word Standard. If your "standard" unit is a squadron, then that is just it. However, I know what you're saying. If you look at other threads, you will find that another complaint is that cavalry units are not only fragile, but not very effective and that they can be driven off even by skirmishing units. Now, if you consider that the standard cavalry unit is only a squadron, then the way that cavalry appears within the rules makes more sense. Of course, there would be nothing to stop an order for those squadrons to form up into a larger unit to effect a charge and counting the bonuses for a large unit. It is just another aspect of the rules and using them to represent a variety of actions and situations.

[Cubster]

So long as you and your opponent agree on the terminology, you can arrange your battles however you like. But bearing in mind the rules as they stand are based around standard Napoleonic units being of around battalion size, and things like rallying, orders, combat, shooting etc.. are in line with that. Not every rule will simply scale-up or down to fit a change of unit scale so you may need to tweak some things to suit your own convention.

[Big Al]

Well, as I understand it, cavalry units were often organised into squadrons. In that case the squadron would be the standard unit.